Defense Meeting

[Anchor Lead]

President Moon Jae-in visited the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Ministry of Defense on Wednesday, one week after taking office. He stressed that he would not condone Pyongyang's nuclear and missile threats.

[Pkg]

President Moon Jae-in visited the Ministry of Defense for the first time since taking office to meet with key military officials. His visit comes one week after he received a report from the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the day of his inauguration and took over the military command. This was done in light of the grave security situation in the country.

[Soundbite] Pres. Moon Jae-in : "Our national security is in a grave situation. North Korea's nuclear weapons and missiles are becoming more sophisticated and pose a real threat."

President Moon said he would take stern measures toward Pyongyang's provocations.

[Soundbite] Pres. Moon Jae-in : "I will not condone the North's provocations and will respond to them in cooperation with the international community."

Moon also reiterated the importance of a strong alliance with Washington. He vowed to bolster Korea's self-defense capabilities and urged the military to step up its readiness. President Moon then visited the Joint Chiefs of Staff to receive a report on the latest developments in the North Korean army. In an unprecedented move, President Moon was accompanied by the members of the National Assembly Defense Committee, which represents the president's determination to solve national security issues on a bi-partisan basis.